NormaNorma wants to take care of kids someday just like her cardiac team at Children’s. Only 2 weeks old when she received a pacemaker, Norma is happy and active today – a 7-year-old with big dreams and a heart for others.

Her'ManiiA fractured elbow brought Her’Manii to the orthopedic specialists at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. Ready to treat a full spectrum of bone, joint and muscle disorders, we got Her’Manii in to surgery and on to recovery.

Arterial line - Tube inserted into a major artery used for administration of fluids and/or medications and sometimes for monitoring blood pressure. May also be used to withdraw blood for laboratory work.

Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) - A sampling of blood from an artery to measure its oxygen and carbon dioxide content.

Aspiration - Breathing a foreign substance such as meconium, formula or stomach contents into the lungs or withdrawal of material from the body by suctioning.

Assessment - An evaluation of a baby's general condition and anything that differs from the baby's usual status. Nursing and medical actions are based on continuous assessment of the baby's condition.

Atelectasis - The collapse of groups of alveoli (air sacs) in the lungs.

Bag and mask - A device used to assist the baby's breathing. It is kept at the bedside of each baby in the NICU.

Bilirubin (bili) - The substance released when the body breaks down red blood cells; it is converted by the liver and disposed of mainly in the stool. Too much bilirubin in the bloodstream causes jaundice, a yellow color of the skin.

Bolus feeding - A small amount of breast milk or formula given all at once to the baby through a tube into his stomach every so many hours.

Bradycardia (brady) - A decrease in the heart rate to less than 80 beats per minute. Bradycardia is often seen with apnea.

Cannula, nasal - Soft plastic tubing that wraps around a baby's face and has openings under the baby's nose. Used to deliver humidified oxygen.

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) - Pressurized air, sometimes given with additional oxygen that is delivered to the baby's lungs to keep them expanded as the baby breathes.

Carbon dioxide - A waste product of the body that is carried by the blood to the lungs where it is exhaled.

Catheter - A small tube used to put fluid into the baby's body or to remove fluids from the body.

Central line - An intravenous tube that is threaded through a large vein until it reaches a position near the heart.

Color - The look of the skin. Normal color of the mucous membranes (inner lips, tongue and gums) is pink. A pale, dusky (bluish pink) or blue color of the mucous membranes or a yellowish skin color may indicate medical problems.

Corrected age - The number of weeks since the baby's birth added to the actual length of pregnancy.

Endotracheal tube (ET tube) - A thin plastic tube inserted into the baby's windpipe through the mouth or nose to allow delivery of air and/or oxygen to the lungs. Because the ET tube passes between the vocal cords, you will not be able to hear your baby cry.

Esophagus - The tube extending from the mouth to the stomach that carries food to the stomach.

Extubation - The removal of the endotracheal tube. The ventilator is no longer needed to help the baby breathe.

Retraction - An abnormal sucking in of the chest or ribs during breathing indicating that increased efforts are being made to breathe.

Room air - The air we normally breathe that contains 21% oxygen.

Saturation (sat) - Percent of oxygen content of the blood.

Suctioning - A baby who is on the ventilator cannot cough up the mucus that accumulates in his lungs. A suctioning catheter is quickly inserted into the endotracheal (ET) tube in the baby's windpipe to vacuum out any secretions. Mucus in the nose and mouth can also be removed with a bulb syringe.

Surfactant - A substance in the lungs that helps keep the small air sacs from collapsing and sticking together. An artificial surfactant can be given to babies at birth or during the first few days of life.

Swaddle - To wrap a baby snuggly in a blanket.

Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN, hyperalimentation) - Intravenous administration of liquid solution that provides the baby with calories, vitamins and minerals.

Umbilical Artery Catheter (UAC) - A thin flexible tube (a catheter) inserted into one of the two arteries (blood vessels) in the umbilical cord. Can be used to give the baby fluids and medications, to remove blood for testing and to monitor blood pressure.

Umbilical Venous Catheter (UVC) - A thin, flexible tube (a catheter) inserted into a vein in the umbilical cord. Can be used to give the baby fluids and medications and to remove blood for testing.